New Health Secretary Neil Gray's own health board is facing a massive £112m black hole and huge cuts to plug the deficit.
The amount NHS Lanarkshire has to save is the equivalent of 24 days’ running costs for the struggling board.
A leaked paper states: “All directors have been asked to consider how a 5-6% reduction to their budget could be achieved.”
Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “The latest SNP Health Secretary is a Lanarkshire MSP who must know what harm this will do to patients and NHS workers in our communities.
“When you look at the terrible cuts being forced on NHS boards and local councils, it’s frightening. Many of my constituents have already been tragically failed and it’s getting worse every week.
“SNP and Green politicians are waving placards and running petitions against cuts, only to nod them through in Parliament. Our communities deserve so much better than this.”
The full extent of the NHS Lanarkshire’s cuts are contained in an internal presentation handed to the Record.
It claims the “very difficult” funding situation should be seen against a backdrop of “no uplifts” to the budget.
According to the paper, the £112.5m is the same as 60% of an average acute hospital’s annual budget.
It is also 75 times the annual costs of nursing and supplies for one ward, or 1.5 times the three acute hospitals’ annual drugs spend.
Another way of looking at it, the presentation notes, is that it is 1.3 times the entire admin annual staffing costs
Another part of the paper reveals the rising costs since 2019 that have contributed to the financial headache.
Hospital drug costs are up 46pc, energy costs have soared by 103pc and acute nurse agency costs have ballooned by 782pc.
Projected cost rises for next year include a 8.6pc rise in hospital drugs.
The severe challenges for NHS Lanarkshire are a nightmare for Gray as he is the MSP for Airdrie and Shotts.
Local politicians were made aware of the dire situation recently.
Scottish politics
Lennon said: “This chaotic SNP-Green Budget will make it impossible for NHS services to function and people will die needlessly.
“That will be the legacy of Humza Yousaf’s government unless they quickly change course.
“After 17 years of SNP mismanagement, NHS Lanarkshire faces a £112m black hole when resources are urgently needed to fund Covid recovery and reduce life threatening waiting times.”
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher MSP said:
“This eye-watering deficit at NHS Lanarkshire highlights the scale of how the SNP have mismanaged our health service during their 17 years in power.
“Health boards are beyond breaking point and the effects on suffering patients and dedicated staff will be devastating if they are not given the resources they need.
“Successive SNP health secretaries have failed to get a grip of the crisis that has engulfed NHS Lanarkshire for far too long and have been posted missing while they have been desperate for support.
“The new health secretary Neil Gray – who is a Lanarkshire MSP – must urgently outline how he will support his local health board and avoid further deeply damaging cuts to local health services.”
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We are providing over £14.2 billion for NHS Boards in 2024-25 to support services, a real terms increase of almost 3%. This comes against the backdrop of the UK Government’s autumn statement which set out a real terms cut for NHS England for 2024-25, with only £10.8 million of additional consequentials derived from health spending – equivalent to just 0.06% of Scotland’s health budget.
Laura Ace, NHS Lanarkshire Director of Finance, said: "While we are working to break even this year, we know we face a very difficult financial position in 2024/25.
“We are forecasting a significant deficit for the coming year and are currently developing our financial plan to address these challenges. Rising cost pressures including medicines, supplies and energy will need to be met from efficiencies.
“In NHS Lanarkshire, our strong track record of financial management means we are starting in a better position than would otherwise be the case.
“We will now work with our staff and stakeholders to ensure we transform and reform our services to provide the best possible care for the people of Lanarkshire within the resources we have.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
